Racist, and happy about it

by Guest Sat May 19, 2012 1:47 pm

http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?250317

by Propagandhi711 Sat May 19, 2012 2:10 pm

most of the criticism is of the cowbelt nivaasis. hmmmmmmmm

by Guest Sat May 19, 2012 2:19 pm

Propagandhi711 wrote:most of the criticism is of the cowbelt nivaasis. hmmmmmmmm

At the bottom of the article one finds this:

(The writer is a Black American PhD student at the Delhi School of Economics.)

by Guest Sat May 19, 2012 2:25 pm

as a rule, I take lopsided angry articles with a pinch of salt.

by Guest Sat May 19, 2012 2:33 pm

An example of racism in India is that the siddi community of people who came from Africa to India and settled down for the most part in Gujarat,Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh were called 'Habshis' by the local Indians. The word 'Habshi' means monster.

by MulaiAzhagi Sat May 19, 2012 4:51 pm

Rashmun wrote:An example of racism in India is that the siddi community of people who came from Africa to India and settled down for the most part in Gujarat,Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh were called 'Habshis' by the local Indians. The word 'Habshi' means monster.

===> In NI, Pakistand and Bangladesh, the word Habshi is used synonomously for slave.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/250921/Habshi

by Guest Sat May 19, 2012 5:09 pm

MulaiAzhagi wrote:
Rashmun wrote:An example of racism in India is that the siddi community of people who came from Africa to India and settled down for the most part in Gujarat,Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh were called 'Habshis' by the local Indians. The word 'Habshi' means monster.

===> In NI, Pakistand and Bangladesh, the word Habshi is used synonomously for slave.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/250921/Habshi

--> the literal meaning of the word 'Habshi' is monster. But many, if not most, of these siddis from Africa who came to India came as slaves. Incidentally, it was possible for a slave in India to rise high and occupy top posts because of sheer merit. Thus even though a certain racism was prevalent, this did not stop society from allowing the habshis to occupy top positions in the administration. One of the most famous of all habshis was this guy:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malik_Ambar

by Petrichor Sat May 19, 2012 5:20 pm

copy-paste is such an underrated skill:

"Similarly, another term for Siddis, habshi (from Al-Habsh, the Arabic term for Abyssinia), is held to be derived from the common name for the captains of the Ethiopian/Abyssinian ships that also first delivered Siddi slaves to the subcontinent.[5] The term eventually came to be applied to other Africans and not only to emancipated Siddis. In time, it came to be used to refer to their descendants as well. It is sometimes pronounced "Hafsi" and is considered an insult.[6]"

"In English, and generally outside Ethiopia, the country was also once historically known as Abyssinia, derived from Habesh, an early Arabic form of the Ethiosemitic name "Ḥabaśāt" (unvocalized "ḤBŚT"). The modern form Habesha is the native name for the country's inhabitants (while the country has been called "Ityopp'ya"). In a few languages, Ethiopia is still referred to by names cognate with "Abyssinia," e.g., modern Arabic Al-Ḥabashah, meaning land of the Habasha people"

I wonder where you got the 'literal' meaning of Habshi from...is the sun shining ...where you are?

by Guest Sat May 19, 2012 5:23 pm

atcg wrote:copy-paste is such an underrated skill:

"Similarly, another term for Siddis, habshi (from Al-Habsh, the Arabic term for Abyssinia), is held to be derived from the common name for the captains of the Ethiopian/Abyssinian ships that also first delivered Siddi slaves to the subcontinent.[5] The term eventually came to be applied to other Africans and not only to emancipated Siddis. In time, it came to be used to refer to their descendants as well. It is sometimes pronounced "Hafsi" and is considered an insult.[6]"

"In English, and generally outside Ethiopia, the country was also once historically known as Abyssinia, derived from Habesh, an early Arabic form of the Ethiosemitic name "Ḥabaśāt" (unvocalized "ḤBŚT"). The modern form Habesha is the native name for the country's inhabitants (while the country has been called "Ityopp'ya"). In a few languages, Ethiopia is still referred to by names cognate with "Abyssinia," e.g., modern Arabic Al-Ḥabashah, meaning land of the Habasha people"

I wonder where you got the 'literal' meaning of Habshi from...is the sun shining ...where you are?

my clarification: to the best of my knowledge, the literal meaning of the word 'habshi' in the Hindustani language is monster. i am willing to be corrected on this if i am wrong.

by Petrichor Sat May 19, 2012 5:27 pm

Are you saying the Arabs used Hindustani to mock their Ethiopian compadres? Or Arabic has its roots in Hindustani?

by Guest Sat May 19, 2012 5:30 pm

atcg wrote:Are you saying the Arabs used Hindustani to mock their Ethiopian compadres? Or Arabic has its roots in Hindustani?

the word may have been of arabic origin but sometimes the meanings of the words can change when they are absorbed into another language (in this case, Hindustani). My understanding is that the word 'Habshi' means a monster in Hindustani, but i am willing to be corrected.

by Guest Sat May 19, 2012 5:35 pm

Rashmun wrote:
atcg wrote:Are you saying the Arabs used Hindustani to mock their Ethiopian compadres? Or Arabic has its roots in Hindustani?

the word may have been of arabic origin but sometimes the meanings of the words can change when they are absorbed into another language (in this case, Hindustani). My understanding is that the word 'Habshi' means a monster in Hindustani, but i am willing to be corrected.

this is also my understanding of the word 'Habshi':

Habshi means a big black monster...

Habshi is persian/arebic word used for black africans.
Muslim aristocratic class of delhi sultnat used this word
in derogaratoly sense for African slaves.

The word was retained in Hindi and now used for africans
though its not polite.

http://www.mombu.com/culture/pakistan/t-habshi-halwa-yummy-3800847.html

by Guest Sat May 19, 2012 5:38 pm

Rashmun wrote:
Rashmun wrote:
atcg wrote:Are you saying the Arabs used Hindustani to mock their Ethiopian compadres? Or Arabic has its roots in Hindustani?

the word may have been of arabic origin but sometimes the meanings of the words can change when they are absorbed into another language (in this case, Hindustani). My understanding is that the word 'Habshi' means a monster in Hindustani, but i am willing to be corrected.

this is also my understanding of the word 'Habshi':

Habshi means a big black monster...

Habshi is persian/arebic word used for black africans.
Muslim aristocratic class of delhi sultnat used this word
in derogaratoly sense for African slaves.

The word was retained in Hindi and now used for africans
though its not polite.

http://www.mombu.com/culture/pakistan/t-habshi-halwa-yummy-3800847.html

Ambarsaria ji,

Guru Fateh.

Thanks for the article and I am very well aware of the history and the origin of the word Habshi. But unfortunately the word Habshi is not used in a historical context but in a racist connotation, in the land where fair colour is deemed of some upper class, hence bleach and whitening creams are used more often than Micheal Jackson may have used them for his own discolouring.

Habshi is a very derogatory word used commonly in India, the way we gobble the halwa.

This was an intentional question for us to think how racism is ingrained in us, from the Apartheid of the Hindu caste system to the mithai named Habshi Halwa and we take this all in a nonchalant manner without giving it a second thought.

The often used phrase of disapproval of someone's looks is," You look like a Habshi".

It is shame and one more proof that we as Sikhs have become the parrots of Gurbani rather than its practitioners.

Regards

Tejwant Singh

http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/hard-talk/37261-aint-we-racist-2.html

by Petrichor Sat May 19, 2012 5:48 pm

Thanks! I now understand the standards of rigor you employ when making blanket statements. adios.

by Guest Sat May 19, 2012 5:54 pm

atcg wrote:Thanks! I now understand the standards of rigor you employ when making blanket statements. adios.

it is in poor taste to start whining when one loses an argument.

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